Low-income residents can seek energy assistance

Published: Tuesday, November 20, 2012 at 9:20 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, November 20, 2012 at 9:20 a.m.

The Davidson County Department of Social Services will accept applications for North Carolina's Low Income Energy Assistance Program from Dec. 3 through March 29, 2013.

For eligible applicants, this program provides a one-time cash payment to help pay for heating-related costs.

There are a few changes to the program this year as mandated by the North Carolina General Assembly. Highlights of the program include:

• No automatic eligibility. Anyone interested in receiving LIEAP assistance must make an application.

• Applications are taken based on priority. Identified priority groups are households in which any person in the household is age 60 or above ore households with at least one disabled person receiving SSI, SSA or VA disability and receiving services through the Division of Aging and Adult Services.

• Payments are made directly to vendors. No check will be mailed directly to the applicant or household member. Payments are $200, $300 or $400 based on household size, income and heating source.

Applicants will need the following information in order to apply:

• all household income information for the month prior to the month of application (wages, tips, UIB, child support, etc);

• information about the household's savings accounts or checking accounts;

• information about the household's property, stocks, bonds and other assets;

• name, date of birth and Social Security numbers for each household member;

• vendor information (i.e. utility statement with the account number or name of the oil/gas company to be used)

Any elderly or disabled person who wishes to apply may call the Davidson County DSS for assistance or send a representative to the agency to apply for them. A note will be needed for the representative to act on someone else's behalf. Households will meet income eligibility if the total countable income for the household is equal to or less than 130 percent of the poverty level at the time of application. Monthly income eligibility for a household of one is $1,210; household of two is $1,639; household of three is $2,068; household of four is $2,497.

Applications will be taken based on priority groups (as funding allows):

Dec. 3-March 29, 2013, for households with a member 60 and older or any household member receiving services through DAAS.

<p>The Davidson County Department of Social Services will accept applications for North Carolina's Low Income Energy Assistance Program from Dec. 3 through March 29, 2013.</p><p>For eligible applicants, this program provides a one-time cash payment to help pay for heating-related costs.</p><p>There are a few changes to the program this year as mandated by the North Carolina General Assembly. Highlights of the program include:</p><p>• No automatic eligibility. Anyone interested in receiving LIEAP assistance must make an application. </p><p>• Applications are taken based on priority. Identified priority groups are households in which any person in the household is age 60 or above ore households with at least one disabled person receiving SSI, SSA or VA disability and receiving services through the Division of Aging and Adult Services. </p><p>• Payments are made directly to vendors. No check will be mailed directly to the applicant or household member. Payments are $200, $300 or $400 based on household size, income and heating source.</p><p>Applicants will need the following information in order to apply:</p><p>• all household income information for the month prior to the month of application (wages, tips, UIB, child support, etc); </p><p>• information about the household's savings accounts or checking accounts; </p><p>• information about the household's property, stocks, bonds and other assets; </p><p>• name, date of birth and Social Security numbers for each household member; </p><p>• vendor information (i.e. utility statement with the account number or name of the oil/gas company to be used)</p><p>Any elderly or disabled person who wishes to apply may call the Davidson County DSS for assistance or send a representative to the agency to apply for them. A note will be needed for the representative to act on someone else's behalf. Households will meet income eligibility if the total countable income for the household is equal to or less than 130 percent of the poverty level at the time of application. Monthly income eligibility for a household of one is $1,210; household of two is $1,639; household of three is $2,068; household of four is $2,497.</p><p>Applications will be taken based on priority groups (as funding allows):</p><p>Dec. 3-March 29, 2013, for households with a member 60 and older or any household member receiving services through DAAS.</p><p>Feb. 1-March 29, 2013, for all other households (as funding allows).</p><p>Application locations are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays at DSS' Lexington Office, second floor, 913 Greensboro St., and Thomasville Office, second floor, 211 W. Colonial Drive.</p><p>For more information, contact Kathy Replogle at 242-2504; Bobby Richardson at 242-2580; Kellyn Berrier at 242-2507; Gennean Kirkendall at 474-2768 or Lauren Jackson at 474-2764.</p>